How to rebuild after an earthquake

The earthquakes in the Italian region of Abruzzo mean that now over 17,000 evacuees are facing a housing crisis as whole towns have been razed to the ground. Having lost their homes and their loved ones overnight, they now also face the additional psychological trauma of finding themselves living in tents on makeshift campsites or in shipping container homes.

A group of researchers in the region, from Turin and Sicily, has been studying the issue of post-disaster emergency housing, and the specific challenge of earthquakes in Italy, which is a volatile seismic region. They are developing specific projects for transportable wood houses – a much more comfortable, friendly and long-term solution than the current use of metal shipping containers.

Turin Polytechnic’s Department for Construction and Territorial Systems (DISET) has been advancing a sheltering model that tries to support the evacuees emotionally as well as practically by getting them involved directly in the process of reconstruction. The pre-fabricated structures are simple and easy to put together, thanks to an emergency manual and a 3D guide available for PCs.

“We are examining [dry] stratified layer building systems: 25 to 40 square meters models can be built within a week”, says Professor Carlo Ostoreto of DISET.

However these prototypes – which were presented at Milan’s Triennale in 2008 – are a good deal more expensive than tents. The average price of the wood houses is of €20,000.

“Six months is the ideal length for a stay in such 'permanent' residences. We know it takes more time to rebuild a whole town, depending on the extent of the damage - and the situation in Abruzzo is extremely severe,”Giacardi explains. “This is a different sort of housing solution, especially considering the fact that it usually takes five to six years to overcome a housing crisis of this sort. In a case like this, living in a tent can be a real problem.”

"It is certainly more expensive, " admits Giacardi, "But it has the advantage that once the housing crisis is over, it can be transformed into a permanent house by adding a wall structure onto the original model. It can be easily integrated into the settlement, and it can be dismantled just as smoothly."

The architect Natale Salamone also developed a similar jointed model for the University of Palermo, in Sicily. It can be used up to 100 times and according to Salamone “it aims to restore the dignity of those that have lost their home overnight as a result of a catastrophe, providing secure and comfortable living conditions.”

Giacardi was responsible for developing the 3D PC manual for building the pre-fabricated houses. "We also take into account the psychological sustainability of the victims”, he explains, “this tool could be used by the civil defence to improve the planning in the backdrop of an emergency housing crisis. The software can be easily loaded into a netbook to visualise 3D models of the various housing solutions appropriate to the situation, as well as the instructions on how to build them."

How can people who have just faced a trauma – having lost their loved ones as well as their house and property – have the resources to start interacting with technology?

"Giving people a cot is not the best way to help them", Giacardi concludes, "the key to facing these situations is to create a group spirit, by actively engaging those affected in the reconstruction processes.”